i was pretty excited for the bulls season to open tonight but, after watching two turnovers in 31 seconds and generally sloppy play, i determined that - at this specific time of year - i'm just not ready for basketball.

the bulls should, at some point, be interesting to watch. they've got tyson chandler and a bunch of, it seems, undersized, faceless bigs up front. malik allen. darius songaila. othella harrington. michael sweetney. chandler's still not a good on-ball defender; he's only good at blocking shots from the weak side. (he's better than i give him credit for, but he's not particularly good.)

however, based on the four minutes i watched of them, i'm pretty convinced that chandler and songaila will not be able to play together. both are high post players, and the bulls have nobody among the guards and wing-types who can head down low. maybe nocioni could fit in with the group, a little bit under the hoop, but i'd imagine that the offense will always look scattered with that pair up front.

at what point is the ben gordon substitution pattern going to start looking like senior day at your average high school? you know...senior scrub (duhon) gets his first career start. perhaps a play is run for him. first whistle, and he's gone. in comes the underclass stud (gordon). there's no good reason not to start him.

i love tyson so much, despite the fact that he has not offensive game, period.

sports illustrated built "the perfect team," according to salary cap restrictions and with a mind on team chemistry, a few weeks ago. (like, in their preview issue, duh.) anyway, eric piatkoswki is on the list, and he's just a perfect role player. love the huge fourth quarter he's putting up. (yes, i've been writing as the bulls have been making a furious comeback. but it looks like it's done, as they're down six, with ball, with 48 seconds left.)

what can be expected of the bulls this year?
probably no more than last year. i think they're still a ways away. i haven't studied the nba, but i just don't think there's enough talent here yet. unless deng makes a huge leap, which is a distinct possibility. or, unless sweetney becomes a 16-and-10 post presence, which is less of a possibility.

[i'm interrupting my comentary to watch the fifth quarter. songaila, yes!]

say this for the bulls...they got spunk!

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other post-game reactions: kareem rush is the worst rotation player in the nba.

i don't think red kerr can say "songaila."

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i think that, at some point, i should start capitalizing and punctuating properly. however, i've been doing this for three years [!], and i doubt i'll ever do that. sigh.

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i'm really digging two new music purchases. [i always dig new music purchases.]

i was initially put off by the silver jews' tanglewood numbers. on my other jews record, bright flight, i loved the fact that db's voice was in the forefront. that's not the case here, but i've adjusted to the more rocking jews. recommended.

i really like the clientele's strange geometry. it's simply lush, lush pop music. like the british pernice brothers. or, um, i don't know what to compare it to. but it's well done.

albums released this year that i own, along with my letter grade ranking:
... and you will know us by the trail of dead - worlds apart - B-
architecture in helsinki - in case we die - C-
black rebel motorcycle club - howl - B+
blackalicious - the craft - B
bloc party - silent alarm - A-
bright eyes - i'm wide awake, it's morning - B
the clientele - strange geometry - B+
death cab for cutie - plans - B
the decemberists - picaresque - A
franz ferdinand - you could have it so much better - B+
hot hot heat - elevator - C, which doesn't mean i don't like it
kings of leon - aha shake heartbreak - B-
stephen malkmus - face the truth - B
the mountain goats - the sunset tree - A
the new pornographers - twin cinema - B+
silver jews - tanglewood numbers = A-
spoon - gimme fiction - B+
sufjan stevens - illinois - A-
kanye west - late registration - B+
the white stripes - get behind me satan - B+
wolf parade - apologies to the queen mary - A-

wow - that's 21 of 'em. that's a lot.

GPA (using .3 and .7): 3.19, which, i believe, is good enough to get my record collection a job